Theme: ETHICS & ETHOS: The What & Why of Everything

This year's event has expanded to coach more aspiring young speakers to give them skills that will help them as they go through life. Working with colleagues in Northern Ireland, we had two programs running, resulting in a short list of those who successfully completed the training going through. We learn what matters to young people today through the process too, gaining valuable insights. Our audience will be in for a real treat.

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Haigh Terrace, Moran Park
Dún Laoghaire
County Dublin, Dublin, A96 H283
Ireland

Ben Campbell

Student

The desire to change conditions for young people is what drives Ben Campbell, despite his feeling that change can never happen. Ben is 18, he attends Portlaoise College in County Laois and in future aspires to study Government and Political Science in University College Cork. In his spare time, Ben is involved in the Irish Second Level Students Union as a regional officer, and Laois Comhairle na nÓg, and he works with these groups to try and help make positive change for young people in Ireland today

Cayden Elliott

Student

Cayden Elliott is a sixteen year old from County Wicklow. He attends Cólaiste Chraobh Abhann and is currently in 5th year. In his spare time, he plays badminton and both reviews and listens to music. He is also an active member of the Wicklow Branch of the youth parliamentary group Comhairle na nÓg. In his talk, he explores his personal struggle with mental health, how the pandemic changed him and the harmful effects of social media made him a person he didn't want to become.

Dr. Kathryn Mannix

Medical Writer & Retired Palliative Care Physician

Dr Kathryn Mannix who was a consultant in palliative care medicine for 20 years, working in hospices, patients’ own homes and a large teaching hospital, gave this additional talk to our Youth Audience. She took early retirement in 2016 to work for better public understanding of dying; this has included radio work, newspaper articles & write 'With the End in Mind' became an international Best Seller, was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize & was The Times ‘Thought’ Book of the Year. Her second book, Listen, about tender communication, was published to critical acclaim in September 2021. She believes that by naming death, describing the process, and helping people to know what to expect, we can have honest, frank and helpful conversations that promote better planning of end of life care and reduce unnecessary and unhelpful medical complications of dying. Her hope is that we can de-medicalise dying, and give it back to everyone as a precious time to be lived as well as possible.

Gloria Rosen & Ron S Opatich

Playwright/Performer & American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter

Playwright/Performer Gloria Rosen and American Sign Language Interpreter Ronald S. Opatich are both Codas, (Children of Deaf Adults) who live between the worlds of Deaf and hearing. Through this talk they explore and reveal the largely hidden worlds of Deaf and Coda, and share their belief that a common language and communication is essential to strong family bonding. Pivotal to this is the incorporation of both Sign Language and written and spoken English within the home, whether it is deaf parents of hearing children or hearing parents of deaf children. With understanding, love and compassion, they share their belief that this common language and communication is what holds a family closer together, and their hopes that it will also help to bring the Deaf and Coda and hearing worlds closer together in harmony. Their talk is available with both ISL and ASL and was given at the 2022 #TEDxDL event and our 2022 Youth event.

Máirín Harding

Student

Máirín Harding is a 15-year-old from the Atlantic west coast of Ireland. She is contemplating what her future will look like and asks, alongside many others her age, will she, a rural teenager become an urban adult? Máirín attends St Brendan's College in Belmullet in County Mayo as a fifth-year student. Máirín is the Mayo Regional Officer for the Irish Second-Level Student Union and a member of Mayo Comhairle na nÓg She loves golf, boxing, rowing, football, playing guitar, socialising and, among many other things, debating.

Prachi Agrawal

Student

Prachi Agrawal is a 16 year old student activist from Dublin. She is a firm advocate for youth voice and participation, being the National Executive in her local Comhairle na nOg and an active member of Fridays For Future Dublin. She attends Dominican College Sion Hill, Blackrock, where she’s actively involved in debating, student council and social awareness. Through her passion for youth representation, she has addressed the Irish government on her hopes of what the EU can offer Irish youth and spoken at the 14th European Forum on the Rights of the Child as a Better Internet for Kids Youth Ambassador. In her talk, she explores the question of belonging through her own journey of finding her cultural identity in this multicultural world.

Sarah Geoghegan

Student

Sarah is a 16 year old, 5th year student at school in Dublin. Focusing on her love of languages and music, she spent transition year in school in Austria where she not only had many important life experiences but also learned to speak German fluently. Life in a different country posed many challenges, however Sarah managed to look at the positive side of all situations. She balances her sporty side of hockey and tennis with her love of music, playing viola in the Dublin Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Sophie Mullet

Student

Sophie Mullett is a student who always wants to know and experience more. She is constantly asking questions about the world and how it works. Signing up for a variety of committees, programmes and groups such as CTYI, Comhairle Na nÓg and Fridays for Future in an attempt to experience new things and attempt to make a difference. She is 16 years old and a Transition Year student at Sandford Park School. She has interests in politics and science as well as media from her childhood such as Scooby Doo and Pokémon.